Premium Member

Y'all may have already heard, but I hadn't until just now. So Team Grillini has switched to the new GSX-R1000 for the 2018 season (previously ran Kawasaki)! I'm excited that there will at least be two GSXR's on the grid now, tho we'll probably never see them, as the camera will be pointed at Rea and Davies 99% of the time. Still, I'm happy to have a new team to cheer for.

That said, the riders they've drafted are relative unknowns (at least to me). Christian Gamarino is running the first five races as a sub for full-time rookie rider Gabriele Ruiu, because Ruiu won't even turn 18 until then! Ruiu's had some seat time in the Italian Championship in Stock and SBK 1000 classes, so hopefully he's gonna be ready.

His teammate, Roberto Rolfo, has been around for a while. Even ran MotoGP and had 9 points scoring finishes in 2005 (satellite Ducati). Been in MGP, WSBK, SSP, 250cc, etc since 1996, so he's no noob. He's 37, so a direct contrast age-wise to the not-yet-18 Ruiu.

Anyway, nice to have Suzuki back on the grid. Just hope these guys can get them in the frame occasionally!

Chubby Chaser

They'll be back markers to be sure (I mean pretty much anyone that isn't Rea/Davies/Sykes/Melandri are as well) but it'll be fun to see Zook back in WSBK. Not to mention Gagne and Jacobsen in the mix as well.

Chubby Chaser

Hadn't heard, but it didn't seem to make much difference in 2017. Within a lap or 2 Rea and Davies would have already charged through everyone in front of them off the 3rd row. I seem to recall in alot of races it was within the first lap lol.

welp, looks like Alex Rins just tossed the title challenge out the door for Suzuki?
WTF was he thinking?
in the first 2 laps he takes that bike from 13th spot to 1st, like they were all standing still!
then he just settles back into 4th and spectates?
just goes to show that MGP is totally...

Put Dani Pedrosa's own personal hype-main in charge.
The only guy to talk shit about Nicky Hayden, and tell his riders to knock people down on purpose, is gonna be running the show.
I really hope he doesn't do to Marc in 2018 what he did to Nicky in 2007, and build the bike around Dani and his...